The government has maintained that it will not fund private schools as they gear up to meet the Competency-based Curriculum (CBC) needs ahead of the junior secondary school rollout next year.
Education Cabinet Secretary Professor George Magoha said parents whose children study in private schools should pay for the enhancement of the implementation process.
This comes as the Kenya Private Schools Association (KPSA) called for government support in extending capitation; providing them with soft loans and grants in order to be able to put the necessary infrastructure in place in readiness for the new system.
They said they were struggling to meet the requirement of establishing a junior wing of a secondary school as outlined in the 2-6-3-3-3 system due to the effects of the Covid-19 pandemic.
But Magoha said parents should fund the schools to make sure they have the necessary classrooms and critical infrastructure needed to effectively roll out the program next year.
“If a Kenyan chooses to take their child to private school, with all humility, let that Kenyan pay for it. It is unreasonable for them to ask for help when the government is offering free education,” said Magoha, while inspecting the ongoing construction of CBC classrooms at Mang’u and Gatundu High Schools in Kiambu County on Saturday.
The CS at the same time expressed satisfaction with the progress that public schools were making to complete the construction of the new classrooms. The classrooms are set to accommodate an estimated one million students next year.
He said in some schools, the classrooms are ready, adding that plans are underway to fast track completion of the remaining ones.
“We have released Sh4 billion for the construction of 10,000 new classrooms for grade 7 students, the majority of which will be completed by March,” he said.
He said before his term ends in August, the planning of the grade 7 program in terms of classrooms being ready, and teachers to take the program being trained will have been completed.
“Grade 7 classrooms and books will be available then. We shall also have ensured that teachers who will be taking the students through grade seven have been trained enough,” he added.
An estimated Sh8 billion had been allocated for the construction of 10,000 additional classrooms to support a double transition of estimated 2.5million learners to secondary schools.
At the same time, the CS noted that security measures have been put in place in areas that are grappling with insecurity to ensure smooth preparation of the March national exams.
